This invention relates to a method of, and an apparatus for, transferring a multiplicity of aligned articles on a stationary member to the flight of a conveyor that is moving transversely of the alignment of the articles on the stationary member. More particularly, this invention relates to a sweepout for transferring a multiplicity of aligned, freshly-formed glass containers on a deadplate of a glass container forming machine of the I.S. (individual section) type to the upper flight of a conveyor for transferring the glass containers to an annealing lehr.
As is explained in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,654 (Leidy), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, various devices and steps are involved in transferring freshly-formed glass containers from the deadplates of an I.S. machine to an annealing lehr for heat treatment of the containers. Among the devices employed in such a process is a sweepout device that is used to simultaneously transfer a plurality of aligned containers, usually two, three or four containers, from an I.S. machine deadplate to an upper moving flight of an endless machine conveyor.
Prior art I.S. machine sweepout devices are described, for example, in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,503 (Perry), U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,911 (Mallory), U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,344 (Mumford et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,480 (Perry), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,745 (Nafziger et al.), the disclosure of each of which is also incorporated by reference herein. As is disclosed in such references, or as is otherwise known, a typical I.S. machine sweepout head has a horizontally extending elongated bar with a plurality of spaced, horizontally extending fingers extending transversely from the elongated bar. Each finger defines, with the elongated bar, a generally L-shaped container receiving pocket.
Prime movers, heretofore usually pneumatic cylinders, provide dual motions to the head with the elongated bar and fingers that extend therefrom. The first of such motions is a reciprocating motion a first portion of which serves to move the elongated bar and its fingers from a position out of contact with containers on the deadplate into a position engaging the containers on the deadplate. The other motion is a 90xc2x0 oscillating motion to the head, a first portion of which transfers the containers on the deadplate to the upper flight of the machine conveyor. Then, as a second portion of the reciprocating motion, the elongated bar and its fingers are retracted to a position out of engagement with containers on the machine conveyor to permit the containers to be conveyed away from the forming machine by the machine conveyor, and, as a second portion of the 90xc2x0 oscillating motion, the head with the elongated bar with its fingers is returned to its original position to be ready to begin a repeat of the process. While pneumatic cylinders have heretofore usually used to power both required motions of a glass container sweepout head, U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,651 (Bolin), which specifically discloses a pneumatic device for actuating the reciprocating motion of the sweepout pusher mechanism, does disclose, in words only, at column 13, lines 45-50, that a stepping motor could also be used for such purpose. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,499 (Saathoff et al.) does teach the use of a stepping motor for powering the oscillating motion of a sweepout head, but also teaches the use of a fluid motor for powering the reciprocation of the pusher arm.
The use of a pneumatic cylinder to power either the reciprocation or the oscillation of a sweepout head finger-carrying bar has certain operating disadvantages, however. Precise control over the timing of the reciprocation or oscillation of the pusher head is difficult to achieve, which creates problems in accurately timing the motion of the pusher head relative to other motions of an I.S. machine. Further, modification of either of the timing of the sweepout pneumatic cylinders is difficult to achieve, as is required, for example, when the machine is modified to produce larger or smaller containers, and it is difficult to control the speeds of a pneumatically-powered sweepout head at the beginning and end of its extension and retraction motions.
To overcome the aforesaid and other problems associated with prior art I.S. machine sweepouts, according to the present invention there is provided an all-electric sweepout. The sweepout of the present invention has a pair of vertically arranged, reversible electrical motors, each motor preferably an a.c. servo motor. The motors are coaxially aligned, and the output shaft of the lower motor, which provides reciprocating motion to the sweepout head through a planetary gear drive, extends through an annular output shaft of the upper motor, which imparts oscillating motion to the sweepout head. The output shafts of the lower and upper motors are rotatable with respect to one another. Because the installed positions of the upper and lower motors are fixed, the wiring for the motors need not have a pigtail to accommodate movement of a motor relative to a source of power, and oil lines for motor cooling, which is desired to permit prolonged operation in a hostile, high-temperature environment, need not have flexible components. Also positioning the motors below the sweepout head does somewhat reduce the temperatures to which the motors are exposed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for transferring a plurality of articles from fixed positions to a moving conveyor in which all required motions are powered by reversible electric motors whose positions are fixed. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus of the foregoing character that is well-suited for operating in proximity to a glass container forming machine, where the operating temperatures can be somewhat higher than ambient.
For a further understanding of the present invention and the objects thereof, attention is directed to the drawing and the following brief description thereof, to the detailed description of the invention and to the appended claims.